I-T dept to resolve taxpayers' grievances every Wednesday

The Income Tax department will hold public meetings every Wednesday to resolve taxpayers grievances and tax issues as part of the 'Good Governance' initiative mooted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes, the apex policy making body of the I-T department, has issued latest instructions in this regard under which senior officials of the department across the country have been tasked to meet taxpayers between 10 a.m to 1 p.m. on one day in a week, without prior appointment.

"As a part of Prime Minister's 'Good Governance Day' promise to provide an open and accountable administration it has been decided that all field offices of the I-T department

will observe 'public meeting day' during 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Wednesday to listen to and try to resolve the grievances of the members of the public," the CBDT wrote in its December 6 circular to all Principal Chief Commissioners and Directors General of I-T across the country.

It added that the "heads of local Income Tax offices will not fix any official meeting on Wednesdays during the hours prescribed for interaction with the public and will ensure that their staff including staff at the reception and security personnel are suitably instructed to allow the members of the public to meet the officers without prior appointment."

The CBDT has asked the top officers of each I-T zone to also keep a record of grievances attended to and solved during these sessions and apprise the CBDT in this regard every month.

It also asked the I-T field formations to "identify the deficiencies (with regard to solving public grievances) with a view to suggesting systemic changes required to avoid recurrence of delays in redressal of grievances."

A senior official said only those Wednesdays, on which a public holiday falls, will be exempted from this exercise as the offices remain closed on these days and the administrative staff is on leave.